Message of the Week

The Little White Community Church

Scripture: Daniel 8: 15-25 Sept. 15, 2024

Message: “Antiochus Epiphanes!”

by Pastor George Gnade

Intro. 1. As most of you know, we have been studying the Book of Daniel and dreams God helped him interpret. He lived about 500 years before Jesus was born, and God used him to prepare the Jewish people for the highlights of those years.

2. Daniel had been captured by the Babylonians, raised up to a place of power, and lived a long time. He learned that the Babylonians would be followed by the Medes and Persians. That happened in Dan. 5.

a. King Belshazzar was killed by Darius the Mede. In Dan. 6, Darius promoted Daniel to a position of power because he was the most gifted and had predicted this would happen.

b. Daniel was also told by God that the Greeks would follow the Persians. That is discussed in more detail in Dan. 8: 5-8 and 20-21.

A. Consider the dream and its interpretation.

1. Vs. 5 describes a goat with a prominent horn between his eyes that came from the west and “crossed the whole earth without touching the ground.”

a. That was a picture of Alexander the Great who conquered the world of his day very rapidly. But no sooner did he accomplish this than “his horn was broken”, meaning he died unexpectedly.

b. In vs. 8, it tells us that his horn would be replaced by four other horns. These were his generals. Historically we know these men each took over different countries, including Egypt, Syria, Thrace, and Macedonia. 

2. These fought among themselves, but the two that stood out were Egypt and Syria with Israel located between them. Obviously that put Israel in constant danger.

a. In Daniel, horns often represent kings. In Dan. 8:9,  a king rose up who grew in power who also had his eye on Israel. Historically he became known as Antiochus Epiphanes. 

b. Afraid of him, some Jews were willing to give up their faith and make a covenant with him. His plan was to force the Jewish nation to accept his gods and follow their ways. This happened around 171 B.C. 

3. By 169 B.C., the king realized many were not cooperating.  Considering this a rebellion against him, he entered Jerusalem, took gold and silver from the temple and killed many. This only made things worse.

a. About 2 years later, he came back again. This time he made it mandatory. In Dan. 8: 10-11, the Prince of the host is God. Those thrown to the ground represent those who were killed, including 1,000’s of people.

b. Then he entered God’s temple and took away the daily sacrifices and “the place of His sanctuary was made low” (vs. 11). He destroyed it by burning unclean animals on top of the altar. This became known as the “abom-ination that made it desolate,” that means unusable. 

4. The Jewish nation was almost wiped out by Antiochus. But that is when God stepped in. 

a. First he raised up Judas Maccabees who began a “gorilla warfare” against the Greeks, attacking them at night and when they least expected it. By God’s grace, his army kept growing and he had great success. 

b. Finally, he attacked Jerusalem itself and recaptured it. Then he tore down the altar that was defiled and built a new one. Finally the daily sacrifices were restored and the golden candlesticks relit.  But he only had enough con-secrating oil to last a day. They could not get more till 8 days had passed. But miraculously the oil never ran out!

5. Meanwhile Antiochus had been in a battle with the Parthians to the southwest of Israel.  They had just won a very important battle against him when he learned of his problems in the holy land.

a. In a rage, he swore: “When I get there, I will make Jerusalem a cemetery of Jews.” He commanded his chariots to go as fast as possible and not to stop. 

b. But along the way, he developed stomach problems, lost control and fell out unto the ground. His injuries were so great he experienced extreme pain like he had inflicted on others. He had to return to Syria where he died.

c. According to some sources, before he died, he stopped blaspheming against the Lord and admitted that the God of the Jews was greater than he was. 

6. So God’s word in Dan. 8:25 was fulfilled. Antiochus was “destroyed, but not by human power.”

a. These events started in 171 B.C. and basically ended in 165 B.C, a little more than 6 years. 

b. In Dan. 8: 14, God said it would last “2,300 evenings and mornings.” In Gen.1: 5, after God created light, He said: “And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.”  Based on that, 2,300 evenings and mornings would be 2,300 days, a little more than 6 yr. 

7. This miraculous victory was so important that the Jews began the “Feast of Dedication” in honor of what God had done. 

B. Consider why this event and feast are so important. 

1. In John 7 & 8, Jesus attended this feast. It is called the feast of tabernacles, another name for this same event. 

In John 8:12, Jesus said: “I am the light of the world. He who believes in me will never walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” 

a. That was His way of telling us that the oil that kept the lights on in the temple was a picture of Himself. He can light up our lives too.  Under His guidance, we will never walk in darkness.

b. Satan, working through people like Antiochus will always try, but he will never succeed. As it says in John 1: 5-7 , “The light shines in the darkness but the darkness shall not overcome it…. The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.”

2. Secondly, Jesus predicted the day when the temple in Jerusalem would be devastated and defiled again. It happened in 70 A.D. when Titus attacked Jerusalem. 

a. In Matt. 24: 15, Jesus said: “When you see standing in the Holy Place the abomination that causes desolation, spoken of by the prophet Daniel, then flee to the mountains for safety.”

b. The followers of Jesus listened to Him and their lives were saved.

3. Thirdly, most scholars agree that Antiochus Epiphanes was also a picture of the anti-Christ that will come at the end of history before Jesus returns. 

a. Last week we studied Dan. 7:25 where the anti-Christ was described: “He will speak against the Most High and oppress His saints and try to change the times and God’s laws...”

b. We noted that all of that is happening right now. Therefore, the anti-Christ could be revealed any time and Jesus could return, possibly in our lifetime. 

c. Just as Antiochus was “destroyed without human power” (Dan. 8:25), so the anti-Christ will be destroyed by Jesus when He comes. 

In conclusion: What happened to God’s people under Antiochus would also happen in 70 A.D. and both events would also portray what will happen just before Jesus returns.  In all three events, God predicted that those who truly loved the Lord would be saved. Praise God, we need to claim this victory for ourselves as well. Amen.

Summary of historical events God predicted In Dan. 8.

1. The Persians were defeated by Alexander the Great of Greece. He died shortly after that. Four of his generals took his place.  The two kings of most importance took control of Syria to the north and Egypt to the south.

Dan. 8 predicted there would be many wars between them. 

2. Of course, Israel lay between them. When Antiochus Epiphanes became the king of Syria, he was determined to force the Israelites to give up their faith and accept the Greek gods instead.  

a. Between 171 B.C. and 165 B.C., he killed many Jews and defiled God’s temple. This became known as the “abomination that made (God’s temple) desolate.”

b. But God raised up the family of Judas Maccabees who began a gorilla type of warfare against him.

Miraculously it grew into a powerful army.

c. Judas finally recaptured Jerusalem in 165 B. C., cleansed the temple, and rebuilt the altar. Shortly after that, Antiochus died.  This all happened in about 6 years, equivalent to about 2,300 days, as God predicted. 

5. Many years later, in 70 A.D., Jerusalem was attacked by the Romans and the temple was defiled again. Jesus told those who believed in Him to flee to the mountains when they saw this coming. They did. 

6. Finally, Jesus predicted something similar will happen before He returns. Many believe it could happen soon.